Selector rod holder



Sept. 9, 1947.

R. CONNOR SELECTOR ROD HOLDER Filed Juge 18, 1945 INVENTOR. ROGER CONNO R A T TORNEYS Patented Sept. 9, 1947 SELECTOR ROD HOIIDER' Roger Connor, Athens; Ohi'o, assignor to The McBee Company, Athens, Ohio, a'c'orporation Application June 18, 1945,Seria'l No. 600,121

6 Claims. (Cl. I29--16.1')

- This invention relates todevices for direct or selective sorting of marginally punched record cards, sheets, tallies or the like.

As is well known, record cards are Widely used which are formed with rows of punched holes adjacent their marginal edges. In use, certain of these holes are slotted out through thecard-edg-e to form a pattern of notches orslots, which designates a-single classification. In some instances, several classifications may be punched out along one marginal edge of the card. By simultane ously passing sorting rods or needles through a stackof cardsin the pattern or patterns of aselected classification or classifications, and then simultaneously elevating the sorting rods or needles, those cards slotted in accordance with the selected pattern or patterns in which the rods or needles are arranged will disengage from the sorting rods or needles and separate from the stack. The remainder of the cards in the stack will, of course, remain suspended on the sorting rods or needles. This is commonly known as direct or selective sorting.

Inmy prior UnitedSta'tes'Patent No. 2,261,719, I disclose a selector rodor needle holder fitted with a plurality of selector rods or needles which enables the rods to be arranged and held in accordance with the selected pattern or patterns so that a complete selective sort may be made through the classifications along one card edge with a single setting of the needles or rods, and in. a singlesorting operation. Howeven'in some instances, more than one of the edges-of the cards are marginally punched and slotted and each card edge is differently coded for various additionalclassifications. In such a case the-operator, after sorting the cards-from one edge, must remove the rods or needles and rearrange them for sorting another edge. In rearranging the needles, the operator must be certain not only to conform to the new pattern, but to. conform to the new or different coding. This is time consuming and provides opportunity for error.

It is the principalobject of my present invention to provide an improved card sorting device of the character referred to which is provided with simple but eflicient means for enabling the user to quickly and correctly arrange the sorting rods or needles in accordance with any one or a plurality of card edges in accordance with the slotting and coding thereof.

.One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a card sorting device embodying the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 15a fragmentary view in perspective and transverse sectionshowing the construction of the indexing bar.

Fig. 3- is a fragmentary view intransverse section through the device.

Fig.4 is a fragmentary view in end elevation of'the device.

Referring more pa'rticularly to the accompanying drawings, :l ll indicates a card sorting device embodying the preferred form of my present invention. This device comprises a selector rod holder l t which is formed of a rigid elongated member orbarll to which is rigidly attached a handle I4 by means of which the sorting device may be manipulated to effect the sorting operation. Theelongatedbaror member [2 is formed with -a set-of 'holes I5, which holes are arranged in rows extending longitudinally of the member andwhich holes extendin parallelism transversely through the member. This, set of holes corresponds with the set of holes in a marginally punched card of the type to be sorted bythe present device.

In this instance I have shown the holes as arranged in two rows, which, of course,is for a type of marginally punched card in which two parallel rows-of holes are formed in the card along the marginal edge thereof. However, it is obvious that the set of holes may be arranged in any other desired manner so long as it corresponds to theset-of punched holes in a card edge.

Rotatably mounted on the holder II is an elongated rotatable baror indexing member Hi which is arranged in juxtaposition to the elongated rigid member or bar 12 at one side thereof through which the holes-l 5 project. This bar is rotatably connected to the holder H by rigid brackets H or other suitable means, so that the rotatable member or bar Ni may'rotate about its longitudi- It is seen that these sets of holes [8 3 thereof may be registered and aligned with the set of holes I5 in the member I2.

The holes I5 and I8 are of a diameter that they will removably receive sorting rods or needles I9. It is intended that these needles be projected first through the bar I6 and thence through the bar I2, so that they will project a considerable distance beyond the holder II for the purpose of engaging the punched holesin a stack of cards to be sorted. After these needles are inserted in place, a pivotal cap 20 may be snapped intoeffective position shown in the drawings to maintain the needles in projected condition. Obviously, when the needles are projected through both the bar I6 and the bar I2, the bar I6 will be secured from turning movement. Also, it is obvious that the cap '20 may be moved to an ineffective position by causing it to pivot about its pivotal connection 2| with the bar I2.

It will be noticed that the four faces of the rotatable bar I6 are slightly recessed as at 22 for the purpose of receiving the marginal edge of a card 23 which is coded and punched to correspond with the card edge to be sorted. A cover 24 of Lucite or other transparent material is detachably fixed over each face of the bar I6 in order to secure the card edge 23 therein and to protect the same from destruction.

In practice, assuming that the card to be sorted is coded and perforated along all four edges, one edge of a similar card is cut away and inserted in one of the faces of the member I6 and the other edges are likewise cut away and placed in position on the other three faces of the member I6, each, of course, properly identified. Thus, each face of the bar I6 illustrates a separate coded edge of the card to be sorted.

One of the applications of the present device is Where it is used in connection with a particular set of record cards; for example, where one set of cards represents a military unit, say a battalion of infantry, there being a card for each enlisted man in the battalion. For example, his age, weight and height and color may be coded out along one edge of the card by one type of coding. His prior occupations may be coded by a different coding along a second edge of the card. The various types of service which has been in may be coded out on a third edge, and data as to his education and parents may be coded out on a fourth edge. Thus, each edge may be differently coded. A similar coded card is then taken and its edges cut into strips and one edge applied to each face of the rotatable member I6. The commanding oflicer may wish to select all men who are white and over six feet tall and who have had blacksmithing experience, a high school education and had seen foreign service. This would require sorting through more than one edge of the cards. The rotatable bar I6 is then adjusted so as to present the edge of the card which carries the codes for color and height and the needles I9 are correctlyinserted through the proper perforations for selecting the cards notched out in accordance with these classifications. On this operation the cards of all men of the selected height and color will be separated from the stack. 7

Then, a second sort must be made to locate from the cards so selected all men having blacksmithing experience. This requires sorting through a second edge of the last grouprof selected cards. The needles or rods are withdrawn from the holder II and the bar I6 is rotated to 4 present the second edge into position, and as it has a properly coded card edge displayed, the operator will be immediately guided in his second arrangement of the rods 0r needles for the second sort, which will separate all men with 'blacksmithing experience from the stack.

In that the commanding oflicer wishes only those men who have had foreign service, which classification will be coded on the third edge of the card, the operator then removes the needles I9 and turns the bar I6 to this third edge, which immediately presents a facsimile of the coded edge of the card and guides him in properly arranging the needles I9 for the third selection or sort. Thus, the third edge of the card is sorted and the cards which will separate from the stack will be those cards of men all over six feet tall and white, who have had prior blacksmithing experience and who have been in foreign service.

In that the commanding officer Wishes only those men with the prior qualifications who have had a high school education, a fourth sort through the fourth edge of the cards must be made. The operator, of course, removes the needles I9 from their previous setting, rotates the rotatable bar to present the fourth edge which has a facsimile of the fourth edge thereon, and reinserts the needles to effect the proper pattern for the fourth sort. The cards which separate on this sort will be the cards of the men having all of the qualifications required by the commanding officer.

The provision of my improved device, particularly the rotatable bar I6, which has directly thereon a coded facsimile of each of the card edges through which the operator is going to sort, enables him to conduct a sorting operation of the character above described in considerably less time than can be done in any other fashion, and, of course, as previously stated, with less chance of error.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an improved and very efficient device for selective sorting of marginally punched cards, and while I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A selector rod holder comprising a rigid elongated member having a set of holes to register with holes in cards to be sorted, a rotatable member extending parallel to the elongated member and having a plurality of sets of holes, each set corresponding to that of the elongated member and capable of registration and alignment therewith upon rotational adjustment of the rotatable member, the sets of holes of the rotatable member being spaced apart peripherally thereof.

2. A card sorting devic comprising a holder, a member rotatably mounted on the holder and capable of rotational adjustment about its longitudinal axis, said member having a plurality of sets of holes arranged longitudinally thereof to register with holes in cards to be sorted, the sets of holes of the member being spaced apart peripherally thereof.

3. A card sorting device comprising a holder, a member rotatably mounted on the holder and capable of rotational adjustment about its longitudinal axis, said member having a plurality of sets of holes arranged longitudinally thereof to register with holes in cards to be sorted, the sets of holes of the member being spaced apart peripherally thereof, sorting rods adapted to be projected through said holes in said member, and means for securing said rods in projected position.

4. A card sorting device comprising a holder, an elongated rotatable member rotatably supported by the holder, a plurality of sets of holes arranged longitudinally of said member and spaced apart peripherally thereof andextending entirely transversely therethrough, each set of 'holes corresponding in spacing and relative disposition to enable registration with holes in a card edge to be sorted, selector rods capable of projection through said holes, and a cap member carried by the holder to maintain said selector rods in position with respect to said member after they are projected therethrough.

5. A card sorting device comprising a selector rod holder including a rigid elongated member having a set of holes arranged longitudinally thereof and extendin transversely therethrough for registration with holes in a stack of cards to be sorted, a rotatable member extending longitudinally of the elongated member in parallelism therewith and rotatably connected thereto for rotation about its own longitudinal axis, said rotatable member having a plurality of sets of holes arranged longitudinally thereof and extending transversely therethrough and each set of holes corresponding to that of the elongated member and capable of registration and alignment therewith upon rotationa1 adjustment of the rotatable member relative to the elongated member, the sets of holes of the rotatable member being spaced apart peripherally of said member, selector rods adapted to be removably projected through the rotatable member and the elongated member.

6. A card, sorting device comprising a selector rod holder including a rigid elongated member having a set of holes arranged longitudinally thereof and extending transversely therethrough for registration with holes in a stack of cards to be sorted, a rotatable member extending longitudinally of the elongated member in parallelism therewith and rotatably connected thereto for rotation about its own longitudinal axis, said rotatable member having a plurality of sets of holes arranged longitudinally thereof and extending transversely therethrough and each set of holes corresponding to that of the elongated member and capable of registration and alignment therewith upon rotational adjustment of the rotatable memberrelative to the elongated member, the sets of holes of the rotatable member being spaced apart peripherally of said member, selector rods adapted to be removably projected through the rotatable member and the elongated member, and a cap member pivotally connected to the elongated member and adapted to be positioned to prevent disengagement of the selector rods after they have been projected through said members.

ROGER CONNOR.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Country Date Sweden u 1923 Number Number 

